1. Field
The present invention relates generally to housings for holding storage devices, and more particularly to housings for providing adaptability in holding differently sized storage devices.
2. Description of Related Art
Mass storage devices of various sorts (such as magnetic tape cartridges) have proven to be an efficient and effective medium for data storage in computer systems. Large computer systems may use numerous storage devices as well as a plurality of drives for inputting and outputting data to and from the storage devices in a timely manner. Such storage devices may be organized into libraries.
Libraries generally include a plurality of storage bins or slots for storing the storage devices. In automated libraries, a robotic picker mechanism may be used for manipulating the storage devices in the library. Libraries may also include one or more media drives. Automated libraries provide advantages including relatively rapid access time to the storage devices as well as modularity and scalability.
Different standards for and types of storage devices (such as tape cartridges) have developed over time. Storage device types may have sizes different from each other. The types sizes may vary in a length, a width and a height dimension, but more frequently vary in the length dimension and the height dimension. A need exists for a general solution providing an ability to use differently sized storage devices in an automated library system.